How to Design Posters

When designing a professional poster for advertisements, announcements, or simply information, you need to know the basics. Posters take special considerations with both design and printing because of their unique nature. Viewers will often only take a quick glance at a poster as they are passing by, so your poster must be designed and printed correctly to capture attention. Although the layout can vary somewhat depending on the purpose, here are the general fundamentals in design and print appropriate for any type of poster.

1. Choose eye-catching colors and images. Your poster must have both vivid colors and a powerful image to catch the eye of the passer-by. The color of your text needs to contrast well with your background to be readable. If you are using more than one color, be consistent.[1] For example, use one color for the headline, another for the background, and another for the text. No matter the amount of images you need, they need to be both engaging and relevant to your message. Viewers notice images first, so yours should evoke curiosity or create emotion so as to lead the viewer to read your text.
   
   
2. Create strong-impact copy. A bold headline, readable fonts, and a unique message are three aspects necessary for creating a lasting impression on viewers. Make your headline the largest sized text on the poster, generally at least 34 points. Although you want an interesting font, make sure that it is readable. Usually, a Sans Serif font is used for the headline, and a Serif font for the body text. If your message is the same as everyone else's, then viewers won't remember what you had to say later. Therefore, your message should be one-of-a-kind, interesting, and emotional to create a lasing impression.
   
   
3. Keep your design simple. Limit your colors, fonts, images, and information so as not to overwhelm the viewer. A complicated design will distract the viewer from your message. Generally, posters contain only two or three colors and two or three fonts and styles. The amount of images vary among posters, anywhere from a single photograph or design to a picture for every step, such as in instructional posters. Include only the most necessary information, usually a headline, event info (if applicable), and basic contact info. Basically, your focus needs to be on creating an impact, not cramming as much information as possible onto the poster.
   
   
4. Incorporate professional printing aspects. Full bleed, four color printing, image resolution, and format are a few necessary items for printing a professional poster. Full bleed printing means that your image design extends beyond the desired size of the poster. Four color printing is what professional printers use to create high quality colors, so make sure to find a four color (full color) printing company for colors with the most depth[2]. All of your images need to be at 300 dpi or higher before you incorporate them into your poster design to avoid a blurry or pixilated effect. Finally, format considerations include choosing the right size for the locations in which you plan to hang your posters, the right paper type for weather-proofing or easier transportation, and a glossy coating for making your images more vivid.
   
   
5. Finished.
   
   

• Don't forget to brand your posters. Including your logo, company name, or incorporating company colors and fonts will help loyal clients recognize your posters and ultimately create a stronger image for your company.